Although I'm not discounting the theory, an attacker might want the name scratched off the hull... it's very interesting in a way actually... There are probably just some phaser banks near the lettering, and an enemy just knows exactly where the ship needs to be hit to render it defenseless. Those turrets (or whatever term describes those raised sections with beam emitters on them) explode, leaving damage in the surrounding area. Coincidentally blackening the name out because the hull plating has been charred by several large after explosions.